JP2010261459A - Failure detection and protection of multi-stage compressor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To early detect a failure of a component in a compressor and identify the failure at an early stage. <P>SOLUTION: A system 10 includes inter-stage sensors 18, 22 configured to detect a parameter in an interstage position which is between a plurality of stages of rotor blades of rotating machines 16, 20. The system 10 also includes a control device 14 configured to identify a failure in the rotating machines, at least partially on the basis of the detected interstage parameter. The control device 14 in the system 10 is configured to obtain the interstage pressure measurement 18 between the stages of the multistage compressor 16. The control device 14 is also configured to identify an actual damage of the multistage compressor 16, at least partially on the basis of the interstage pressure measurement 18. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to compressor fault detection and protection.

  Compressors are used in various industries and systems to compress gases such as air. For example, gas turbine engines typically include a compressor that provides compressed air for combustion and cooling. As will be appreciated, compressor health affects machine performance, efficiency, downtime and overall availability. When compressor parts (eg, blades, seals, etc.) are worn or damaged, the compressor cannot perform sufficient compression of gas (eg, air) against the target system (eg, gas turbine engine). There is. In addition, failure of the compressor components can cause damage to the target system (eg, gas turbine engine), thereby resulting in downtime and increased repair costs. This is particularly a problem at power plants that utilize the continuous operation of gas turbine engines. As a result, it is desirable to identify failures early on to protect the compressor and downstream gas turbine engine components from damage. Unfortunately, existing systems are not particularly suitable for early detection of compressor failures. This is especially true for multistage compressors such as those used in power plant gas turbine engines. For example, existing systems do not monitor the interstage area of such a multistage compressor.

US Pat. No. 7,409,854

  Several embodiments of the invention described in the scope of claims of the present application will be summarized. These embodiments do not limit the technical scope of the invention described in the claims, but simply summarize possible forms of the invention. Indeed, the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth below but encompasses various different embodiments.

  In a first embodiment, the system includes an interstage sensor configured to sense a parameter at an interstage position between multiple stages of a rotating machine blade. The system also includes a controller configured to identify a fault in the rotating machine based at least in part on the sensed interstage parameter.

  In a second embodiment, the system includes a controller configured to obtain an interstage pressure measurement between stages of a multistage compressor. The controller is also configured to identify actual damage to the multistage compressor based at least in part on the interstage pressure measurement.

  In a third embodiment, the system includes a turbine engine. The turbine engine includes a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine expander. The compressor includes a plurality of compressor stages. The system also includes a plurality of interstage sensors configured to measure a plurality of parameters at interstage positions within the turbine engine. The system further includes a controller configured to identify a failure in one of the compressor stages based at least in part on the plurality of parameters. The controller may also output a warning indicating failure, automatically adjust turbine engine operating parameters in response to failure, automatically shut down the turbine engine in response to failure, or It is configured to implement a combination.

1 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a gas turbine engine having a system for identifying failure of a gas turbine engine multi-stage compressor. FIG. It is side surface sectional drawing of the gas turbine engine of FIG. FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the exemplary embodiment of the multi-stage compressor of the gas turbine engine of FIGS. 1 and 2 having a plurality of inter-stage sensors for identifying multi-stage compressor faults. 2 is a graph of normal and abnormal pressure profiles for an exemplary embodiment of a multi-stage compressor with five individual stages. The first 15-stage pressure increase of the exemplary 20-stage compressor as compared to the overall pressure increase of the exemplary 20-stage compressor as it deteriorates due to initial normal conditions and compressor hardware failure It is a graph of a ratio. 3 is an exemplary embodiment of a method for identifying a multi-stage compressor failure using an interstage pressure increase ratio.

  These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention may be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals are used for like members.

  The following describes one or more specific embodiments of the present invention. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features in an actual implementation may not be described herein. As with any engineering or design project, when developing for implementation, implementation-specific to achieve specific developer goals (such as complying with system and operational constraints) that vary from implementation to implementation It will be clear that many decisions need to be made. Furthermore, while such development efforts may be complex and time consuming, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art who have access to the disclosure herein only routine design, assembly and manufacture.

  When introducing components of various embodiments of the present invention, what is written in the singular means that there are one or more of the components. The terms “comprising”, “comprising” and “having” are inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed components. Examples of operating parameters and / or environmental conditions do not exclude parameters / conditions other than the disclosed embodiments. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present invention do not exclude the presence of other embodiments having the features described in that embodiment.

  The disclosed embodiments provide interstage sensor measurements (eg, pressure, temperature, voice, etc.) from multiple stages of a multistage rotary machine (eg, compressor, turbine, etc.) to identify faults in the multistage rotary machine. Systems and methods for using such as optics). For simplicity, the multi-stage rotary machine disclosed herein will primarily describe a multi-stage compressor. However, as will be appreciated, the systems and methods disclosed herein may also be utilized to identify other types of rotating machine failures that include multiple stages.

  During normal operation, each stage of the multistage compressor gradually increases the pressure and temperature of the working fluid by a certain amount. The amount of pressure and temperature increase in each stage of a multi-stage compressor is specific to the speed, inlet boundary conditions (eg, flow rate, pressure, temperature, composition, etc.), outlet boundary conditions (eg, flow resistance, etc.) and stage efficiency. Can depend on operating conditions. The overall increase in pressure and temperature in a multi-stage compressor is generally the sum of the individual stage pressure and temperature increases. Thus, if one or more stages perform below standard, the state of the working fluid exiting the multistage compressor (eg, pressure, temperature, etc.) is affected.

  Ideally, the discharge measurement of a multistage compressor is sufficiently accurate to detect predicted performance or deviations from past performance. However, since there can be hundreds or thousands of blades in a multistage compressor, the overall performance of a multistage compressor can be measured at the level of measurement noise, even if one or several individual blades fail. May not change significantly enough to rise above. Furthermore, the performance of a multi-stage compressor may vary significantly depending on operating conditions (eg, guide vane position, inlet temperature and pressure, downstream resistance, etc.) and may deteriorate over time (eg, deposits, blades) It also complicates fault detection (by erosion, gap changes, etc.).

  The disclosed embodiments address these difficulties by taking a different approach to fault detection in multistage compressors. When parts are damaged or failed in a multistage compressor, the pressure and temperature distribution at the individual stages within the multistage compressor will also change. Changes in the overall performance of a multi-stage compressor may not be easily detectable, but the relative performance of each stage or group of stages can be made more obvious, thus reducing component damage or failure. It can be shown reliably. The disclosed embodiments provide sensor measurements (eg, pressure, temperature, sound, optics, etc.) at multiple locations within a multistage compressor (eg, one or more interstage locations in addition to the multistage compressor inlet and outlet). ). If these interstage sensor measurements deviate from the expected values, it can indicate that a failure has occurred in one of the stages. For simplicity, the interstage sensor measurements disclosed herein will mainly describe pressure sensor measurements. However, as will be appreciated, the systems and methods disclosed herein can also indicate failures in multi-stage rotating machines such as temperature sensor measurements, audio sensor measurements, optical sensor measurements or multi-stage compressors. This type of sensor measurement is also included.

  The increase in pressure between successive measurement positions can be compared to the overall increase in pressure in a multistage compressor, whereby the pressure increase rate is measured. These measured pressure increase ratios are generally associated with several relevant operating conditions (eg, shaft speed, guide vane position, inlet conditions, outlet conditions, etc.) that are believed to affect the performance of the multistage compressor. Can be treated as a function. The measured pressure increase rate can also be compared to the predicted pressure increase rate determined by modeling, other multi-stage compressor measurements, or past measurements of the same multi-stage compressor. When the measured pressure increase ratio deviates from the predicted pressure increase ratio by a predetermined amount or more, an appropriate control response such as an alarm start or a multistage compressor stop can be started. .

  Alternatively, as described above, in some embodiments, temperature measurements and temperature increase ratios can be used in place of or in conjunction with pressure measurements and pressure increase ratios. The choice of whether to use pressure measurement or temperature measurement can depend on the measurement uncertainty and the resulting fault detection sensitivity. In other words, if more reliable fault detection is obtained by using a specific multistage compressor pressure increase ratio, the pressure increase ratio may be preferable to the temperature increase ratio, and vice versa. Further, in some embodiments, comparing both the pressure and temperature increase of each multi-stage compressor section with other such sections is equivalent to the overall pressure and / or temperature increase in the multi-stage compressor. May be advantageous instead of or in conjunction with

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a fault detection and protection system 10 that is configured to detect a fault early, based at least in part on interstage measurements across the gas turbine engine 12. is there. In some embodiments, the fault detection and protection system 10 is configured to respond early to detected faults so that the potential for increased damage and downtime of the gas turbine engine 12 is reduced. including. The fault detection and protection system 10 can be used via the monitoring system 18 to detect faults at multiple locations throughout the multi-stage compressor 16 (eg, inlet, outlet and interstage). The fault detection and protection system 10 can also be used via the monitoring system 22 to detect faults at multiple locations throughout the multi-stage turbine 20 (eg, inlets, outlets, and stages). In certain embodiments, the monitoring systems 18 and 22 can be combined together as a single monitoring system. Interstage measurements (eg, pressure, temperature, sound, optics, flow rate, vibration, etc.) allow controller 14 to more quickly identify faults in compressor 16 and turbine 20 as will be described in detail below. Thereby reducing the possibility of more damage and downtime. This is particularly advantageous when the number of stages of the compressor 16 and the turbine 20 is increased. For example, the compressor 16 and the turbine 20 may each have a plurality of stages (eg, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 or more stages). Monitoring systems 18 and 22 may include one or more sensors disposed at each stage. Although the following description describes the compressor 16 primarily in the context of the gas turbine engine 12, the disclosed embodiments may be, for example, a gas turbine, a steam turbine, a hydraulic turbine, a compressor driven by another power source. Any multi-stage system with blades can be used.

  In some embodiments, the gas turbine engine 12 may mix the compressed air with a liquid or gaseous fuel (such as natural gas and / or hydrogen rich synthesis gas). As shown, a plurality of fuel nozzles 24 take in the fuel supply, mix the fuel with air, and feed the air / fuel mixture into the combustor 26. The air / fuel mixture burns in a chamber within the combustor 26, thereby producing hot pressurized exhaust gas. The combustor 26 directs exhaust gas through the turbine 20 to the exhaust outlet 28. As the exhaust gas passes through the turbine 20, the gas causes one or more turbine blades to rotate the shaft 30 along the axis 32 of the gas turbine engine 12. As shown, the shaft 30 is coupled to various components of the gas turbine engine 12, including the multistage compressor 16. As will be described in more detail below, the multi-stage compressor 16 can include a plurality of stages with a plurality of blades that can be coupled to the shaft 30. Accordingly, when the shaft 30 rotates, the plurality of blades in the multistage compressor 16 rotate, thereby causing air to pass from the air intake 34 through the multistage compressor 16 to the fuel nozzle 24 and / or the combustor 26. Compress. The shaft 30 is also coupled to a load 36, which can be a fixed load, such as a generator in a vehicle or power plant or an aircraft propeller. The load 36 can include any suitable device configured to be powered by the rotational output of the gas turbine engine 12.

  FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the gas turbine engine 12 of FIG. As shown, the gas turbine engine 12 includes one or more fuel nozzles 24 that are internal to one or more combustors 26. In operation, air can enter the gas turbine engine 12 through the air intake 34 and be pressurized with the multistage compressor 16. The compressed air can then be mixed with fuel for combustion in the combustor 26. For example, the fuel nozzle 24 may inject a fuel / air mixture into the combustor 26 at a ratio suitable for optimal combustion, emissions, fuel consumption and power. The combustion produces hot pressurized exhaust gas, which then drives one or more blade cascades 38 in the turbine 20 to rotate the shaft 30 and thus cause the multistage compressor 16 and the load 36 to move. Rotate. Further, the rotation of the shaft 30 causes one or more moving blades 40 in the multistage compressor 16 to draw in and pressurize the air received at the intake port 34.

  In certain embodiments, the fault detection and protection system 10 of FIG. 1 is at inlet, outlet, and interstage locations throughout the turbine engine 12, including interstage positions throughout the compressor 16 and interstage positions throughout the turbine 20. One or more parameters are configured to be measured. For example, the fault detection and protection system 10 not only includes the compressor sensor 42 at the inlet 44 and / or outlet 48, but is also disposed at the compressor inlet 44, the plurality of interstage compressor locations 46, and the compressor outlet 48. One or more compressor sensors 42 may be included. Accordingly, as described in more detail below, the compressor sensor 42 is configured to substantially improve the time and location of fault detection, i.e., faster response time and more accurate faults. Position identification is obtained. In other examples, fault detection and protection system 10 includes turbine sensor 50 at inlet 52 and / or outlet 56 as well as disposed at turbine inlet 52, multiple interstage turbine locations 54 and turbine outlet 56. One or more turbine sensors 50 may be included. Accordingly, as will be described in more detail below, the turbine sensor 50 is configured to substantially improve the time and location of fault detection, i.e., faster response time and more accurate fault location. Is obtained. As will be appreciated, the sensors 42 and 50 may include pressure sensors, temperature sensors, vibration sensors, audio sensors, optical sensors, or combinations thereof. These sensors 42 and 50 can be arranged at a plurality of positions around the outer periphery of the casing, a plurality of axial positions upstream and downstream of each stage, and the like. Interstage sensors 42 and 50 significantly improve response time and reduce the likelihood of increased damage if a failure occurs, compared to systems that do not include interstage sensors 42 and 50. It is configured.

  For example, compared to the disclosed fault detection and protection system 10, fault monitoring is particularly slow and does not respond to location if sensors are only located at the compressor inlet 44 and turbine outlet 56. These positions are easily accessible by the sensors, but without the sensors 42 and 50 between these inlets 44 and outlet positions 56, most of the space is not monitored. In other words, if sensors are only located at the inlet 44 and outlet 56, the changes are averaged across the turbine engine 12, thereby making it difficult to identify faults in either the compressor 16 or the turbine 20. become. A major failure in one particular stage of the compressor 16 or turbine 20 will cause changes in the temperature and / or pressure of that particular stage, but this change will only affect the sensors at the inlet 44 and outlet 56. Then, it may not be detected. Similarly, if the compressor 16 is monitored only by the compressor inlet 44 and compressor outlet 48 sensors, the failure will result in a more measurable exit condition variation compared to a more locally measurable effect. Because it is small, it may not be easily detected. Further, if the turbine 20 is monitored only by the turbine inlet 52 and turbine outlet 56 sensors, it is averaged over multiple stages and / or a compensation control action is performed, for example, to maintain a selected output. Failure can not be detected easily.

  A common means of fault detection in rotating turbomachines is vibration monitoring at bearings 58,60. This measure takes advantage of the rotor being unbalanced if the blade is damaged or fails. If the failed part is a stationary blade, generally no detectable imbalance will occur unless the detached part is sufficiently damaged to cause a downstream blade to be detectable. Similarly, if the machine is very large and the failed blade is very small, the problem may still be undetectable by this measure. Thus, even a minor problem will generally not be detectable through bearing vibration (eg, due to incidental damage to downstream components) before the controller or operator realizes that a protective action is required. I do not get. Further, when a failure is detected by this means, the diagnostic information obtained from the vibration characteristics can only provide rough guidance on the location of the failure and its progress history. In general, the above measurements at limited locations (ie, not interstage locations) do not detect failures early enough, and thus have the ability to take corrective action before significant damage occurs. Lower.

  Also, in the disclosed embodiment of the fault detection and protection system 10, the time and location sensitivity of fault detection is achieved by utilizing sensors at one or more interstage positions of the compressor 16, turbine 20 or combinations thereof. Get higher. In the following description, the fault detection and protection system 10 will be described with respect to the compressor 16, but it will be understood that the fault detection and protection system 10 is equally applicable to the turbine 20 and other multi-stage systems. At various interstage positions 46 and 54, sensors 42 and 50 can monitor pressure, temperature, vibration, sound, or combinations thereof. These measured parameters can be compared to other stages (ie, upstream and / or downstream), inlets 44 and 52, outlets 48 and 56, or combinations thereof. For example, the disclosed embodiments can compare the baseline ratio to the real-time ratio to identify anomalies that indicate a failure. The ratio can include an interstage parameter versus an inlet parameter, an interstage parameter versus an exit parameter, a first interstage parameter versus a second interstage parameter, or a combination thereof. The parameters can also include temperature, pressure, vibration, sound, or combinations thereof.

  FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the multi-stage compressor 16 of the gas turbine engine 12 of FIGS. As shown, the multi-stage compressor 16 may include a plurality of sensors placed along the length of the multi-stage compressor 16. In particular, the illustrated embodiment of the multi-stage compressor 16 includes an inlet sensor 62 near the inlet 44 of the multi-stage compressor 16 and an outlet sensor 64 near the outlet 48 of the multi-stage compressor 16. Further, the multistage compressor 16 includes one or more interstage sensors 66 positioned between the stages of the multistage compressor 16. The interstage sensor 66 can be arranged at a plurality of positions around the outer periphery of the casing, at a plurality of axial positions upstream and downstream of each stage, and the like. The exact number of interstage sensors 66 can vary from embodiment to embodiment. For example, in certain embodiments, the multi-stage compressor 16 may include one or more inter-stage sensors 66 between all stages of the multi-stage compressor 16. However, in other embodiments, some stages may not include an interstage sensor 66. The number of interstage sensors 66 can be determined according to conditions specific to the multistage compressor 16. For example, a stage may not include a suitable location for placing the sensor. Further, in some cases, cost limitations may limit the number of interstage sensors 66 used.

  As described above, in some embodiments, the inlet sensor 62, the outlet sensor 64, and the plurality of interstage sensors 66 can include pressure sensors, temperature sensors, vibration sensors, audio sensors, optical sensors, flow rate sensors, and the like. . If there is a failure or other type of damage within a particular stage, the pressure and temperature rise in the damaged stage can be greatly affected. In fact, if the failure is large enough, the pressure and temperature rise in the damaged stage may be reduced to zero or at least negligible. For example, the pressure drop and temperature increase may vary by 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90% or more of the predicted value or 100% of the predicted value. Therefore, a failure in the multistage compressor 16 can be detected more easily by monitoring the interstage pressure and temperature. In other words, the relative performance of each stage or group of stages is more obvious even if a change in the overall performance of the multistage compressor 16 is not readily detectable because a failure has occurred in one or several stages. Thus, the damage or failure of the part is more reliably indicated.

  Pressure and temperature measurements are not the only type of interstage measurement that can be used to detect faults in the multistage compressor 16. For example, in some embodiments, an audio sensor can be used for the interstage sensor 66. Audio features within individual stages of the multistage compressor 16 can also be used to detect faults. Furthermore, in other embodiments, an optical sensor may be used for the interstage sensor 66. A change in the light detected by the optical sensor can indicate a change in the flow of the working fluid flowing through the multistage compressor 16 that can indicate a failure in the multistage compressor 16. In addition, any type of sensor (eg, vibration sensor, flow rate sensor, etc.) that can indicate a failure in the multi-stage compressor 16 can be used.

  FIG. 4 is a graph of the pressure profile of an exemplary embodiment of a multi-stage compressor 16 with five individual stages. The illustrated graph represents a first pressure profile 68 during normal operation and a second pressure profile 70 during which the third stage of the multi-stage compressor 16 is in failure. As shown, under normal conditions, the first pressure profile 68 can have a relatively constant increase in pressure at individual stages. However, note that this normal pressure rise profile is machine specific. For example, under normal operating conditions, one individual stage can cause a pressure increase that is greater than the other stages. In any case, the overall pressure increase in the multistage compressor 16 can be equal to the sum of the pressure increases in the five illustrated stages.

  As illustrated, in a scenario where the third stage of the multistage compressor 16 has failed, the pressure increase in the third stage of the multistage compressor 16 may be significantly reduced. The other four stages can compensate to some extent for the pressure loss in the third stage. For example, an increase in pressure at the first and second stages is shown to increase from a first pressure profile 68 (eg, normal operation) to a second pressure profile 70 (third stage is faulty). Has been. In addition, the pressure increase in the fourth and fifth stages also increases from the first pressure profile 68 (eg, normal operation) to the second pressure profile 70 (third stage has failed). It is shown.

  In some embodiments, the pressure increase at each stage of the multi-stage compressor 16 can be compared to the overall pressure increase at the multi-stage compressor 16. For example, assuming that the multi-stage compressor 16 in the normal state is shown in FIG. 4 (first pressure profile 68), the individual stages of the multi-stage compressor 16 produce exactly the same amount of pressure increase. Under these normal conditions, each individual stage produces 20% of the overall pressure increase of the multistage compressor 16. However, as illustrated in FIG. 4, assuming that the third stage has a component failure or damage (second pressure profile 70), the pressure increase in the third stage is zero. While decreasing, the other four stages fully compensate for the reduced pressure increase in the third stage. In this failure scenario, the third stage produces 0% of the overall pressure increase of the multistage compressor 16, while the other four stages each produce 25% of the overall pressure increase of the multistage compressor 16. Let By monitoring these changes in pressure increase at each of the individual stages of the multi-stage compressor 16, it becomes possible to more quickly detect component failures or damage and more accurately locate the failure. (In this example, the third stage of the multistage compressor 16). For example, the location of a component damage or failure can be identified within a particular stage or at least a few stages. In this example, as is common in real machines, the compressor outlet pressure is almost unaffected by the failure, and therefore the outlet pressure indicates failure, either by itself or in combination with the inlet pressure. Please note that it is not.

  In addition to comparing the pressure increase at each stage of the multi-stage compressor 16 with the overall pressure increase at the multi-stage compressor 16, the pressure increase at each stage of the multi-stage compressor 16 is compared with each stage during normal operation. Can be compared with the pressure increase at the other stage, or can be compared with the pressure increase at other stages of the multi-stage compressor 16. In this way, the measured changes can be magnified and component failures or damage can be more easily detected. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the third stage of the multi-stage compressor 16 can cause 20% of the overall pressure increase of the multi-stage compressor 16 during normal operation (first pressure profile 68). . However, when the third stage component is in failure or damage (second pressure profile 70), the third stage may cause 0% of the overall pressure increase of the multi-stage compressor 16. Thus, while the third stage component fails or is damaged, the pressure increase caused by the third stage can be reduced by 100% in the illustrated example. Conversely, as shown in FIG. 4, the other four stages of multistage compressor 16 also produce 20% of the overall pressure increase of multistage compressor 16 during normal operation (first pressure profile 68). Can be made. However, when the third stage component is in failure or damage (second pressure profile 70), the other four stages can cause 25% of the overall pressure increase of the multi-stage compressor 16. Thus, while the third stage component fails or is damaged, the pressure increase caused by the other four stages can be increased by 25% in the illustrated example (e.g., (25% -20%) by 20%). Divide by).

  In addition to measuring and monitoring pressure increases at individual stages of the multistage compressor 16, pressure increases at other sections of the multistage compressor 16 can also be measured and monitored. The section can include a plurality of individual stages of the multi-stage compressor 16. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 4, the first section of the multi-stage compressor 16 can include the first, second, and third stages of the multi-stage compressor 16, and the second section of the multi-stage compressor 16. May include the fourth and fifth stages of the multi-stage compressor 16. In fact, any combination of stages can be used as a section for detecting faults in the multistage compressor 16.

  As described above, the first pressure profile 68 shown in FIG. 4 represents the normal operation state of the multistage compressor 16. The first pressure profile 68 can be measured using an appropriate representation of the performance at multiple stages of the multistage compressor 16. For example, in some embodiments, the predicted pressure profile of the multi-stage compressor 16 can be measured based on the past performance of the multi-stage compressor 16. In other embodiments, the predicted pressure profile of the multi-stage compressor 16 can be measured using a predictive model. In still other embodiments, the predicted pressure profile of the multi-stage compressor 16 is either past performance, prediction model, and either the particular multi-stage compressor 16 being used or another comparable multi-stage compressor 16. Other method combinations demonstrated or calculated with respect to can be incorporated. Further, the predicted pressure profile of the multi-stage compressor 16 can be a function of the associated operating conditions of the multi-stage compressor 16 that are generally expected to affect performance. For example, in some embodiments, the predicted pressure profile can be a function of shaft speed, guide vane position, inlet conditions, outlet conditions, and the like. In any event, the predicted pressure profile can be referred to as a baseline that can be compared to an interstage parameter (eg, detected by interstage sensor 66).

  When it is determined that the pressure increase rate of a particular stage or section of sections deviates (eg, increases or decreases) from the expected pressure increase ratio of the stage or stage section by a predetermined amount or more. An appropriate control response can be initiated. For example, in some circumstances, an appropriate control response may alert the operator of the multi-stage compressor 16 that the pressure increase rate deviates more than a predetermined amount from the expected pressure increase rate. Can do. For example, the operator can be alerted when there is only a small deviation from the expected rate of pressure increase, or when the deviation has only occurred in a short period of time. Alerts can include audio alerts (eg, beeps), vibrations, light (eg, from a light emitting diode), display messages (eg, on a display screen), email messages, text messages, and the like. However, the operating parameters of the multi-stage compressor 16 can be automatically adjusted when the deviation from the expected pressure increase rate becomes a larger value or occurs continuously over a long period of time. For example, in some circumstances, the multi-stage compressor 16 can be shut down in response to deviations from the expected pressure increase rate.

  As the number of stages in multi-stage compressor 16 increases, the sensitivity of fault detection using pressure increase ratio comparison may be somewhat reduced. For example, while FIG. 4 illustrates only five stages, the multi-stage compressor 16 can include more stages. For example, in one embodiment, the multi-stage compressor 16 is 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. 29, 30 or more stages. In the example shown in FIG. 4, during normal operation (e.g., first pressure profile 68), the individual stages cause about 20% of the overall pressure increase of the multistage compressor 16. However, for example, in a multi-stage compressor 16 having 30 stages, during normal operation (eg, first pressure profile 68), the pressure increase caused by the individual stages is slightly less than the overall pressure increase of the multi-stage compressor 16. It can be on the order of 3%. In addition, the example shown in FIG. 4 shows that the third stage component is in failure or damage (eg, second pressure profile 70), and the pressure increase at the third stage is reduced to zero or at least negligible. Assumes that In practice, however, the affected stage is still capable of producing a certain amount of pressure increase, even if parts are broken or damaged within the stage of the multi-stage compressor 16. is there. For both of these reasons, in a multi-stage compressor 16 having a larger number of stages, the ability to detect faults in the multi-stage compressor 16 using a comparison of pressure increase ratios depends on the scope and sensitivity of monitoring.

For example, FIG. 5 is a graph of the first 15-stage pressure increase rate of the exemplary 20-stage compressor 16 compared to the overall pressure increase of the exemplary 20-stage compressor 16. The 20-stage compressor 16 is merely an exemplary embodiment of the multi-stage compressor 16 to illustrate the degree of sensitivity used to detect faults within the multi-stage compressor 16. As shown, the pressure increase ratio 72 (eg, the pressure increase in the first 15 stages relative to the overall pressure increase of the exemplary 20 stage compressor 16) is that of the exemplary 20 stage compressor 16. While one of the stages is in failure, four separate operating stages can be experienced. For example, at time t _1, an exemplary 20-stage compressor 16, a steady state (e.g., prior to, and clear state with no problem failure occurs) it can be assumed to be reached. As shown, the pressure increase rate 72 may have reached a substantially steady state value of about 74%. However, at time t _2, it is possible to detect the initial deviation of the pressure increase ratio 72. As shown, the pressure increase rate 72 can reach a new steady state value, and the increase can be on the order of only 1% (eg, about 74% to about 75%). However, such a sudden increase from the previous steady state value can indicate that a failure has occurred within the exemplary 20-stage compressor 16. More specifically, an increase in the pressure increase that occurs in stages 1-15 can indicate that a failure has occurred downstream of stage 1-15 (e.g., 16-20 stages). Next, at time t ₃ , there is a gradual deterioration of the pressure increase rate 72 (eg, from about 75% to about 76%). Then, at time t ₄ , it may increase rapidly (eg, from about 76% to about 83%) depending on the final stage of deterioration, and progress rapidly toward nearly 100% of time t ₅ . During this eventual deterioration period, most of the undue damage to the exemplary 20-stage compressor 16 may occur.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, when a failure occurs, in order to detect the failure in substantial real-time or quickly before the damage becomes excessive (eg, after t ₄ ), the first few stages of deterioration (e.g., from the time t ₂ during time t ₄₎ is important ability to detect. In certain embodiments, detecting a fault in substantially real time can include detecting the fault within a time period of less than 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, or 60 seconds. In some embodiments, quickly detecting a failure in response can include detecting the failure within a time of less than 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes. The length of time that a failure can be detected can depend on the operating conditions of the particular multistage compressor 16 and the failure state of the component. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the multistage compressor 16 includes a larger number of stages, the pressure increase ratio 72 can detect a relatively small increase amount. Thus, when the multi-stage compressor 16 includes fewer stages or is monitored more deeply, the time to detect a fault can be longer.

  FIG. 6 is an exemplary embodiment of a method 74 for identifying failures in the multi-stage compressor 16 using the interstage pressure increase ratio. In step 76, one or more interstage parameters can be detected between the stages of the multistage compressor 16. As described above, the detected interstage parameter can be any suitable parameter for identifying a fault in the multistage compressor 16. For example, in some embodiments, the detected interstage parameter can be an interstage pressure, or more specifically, an interstage pressure increase detected by an interstage pressure sensor. In other embodiments, the detected interstage parameter can be an interstage temperature, or more specifically, an interstage temperature increase detected by an interstage temperature sensor. Furthermore, other types of interstage sensors can be used. For example, an interstage audio sensor can be used to detect an audio parameter indicating a failure in the multistage compressor 16. Further, an interstage optical sensor can also be used to detect optical parameters that are also indicative of a failure within the multistage compressor 16. In addition, any type of interstage sensor (eg, vibration sensor, flow rate sensor, etc.) that indicates a failure in the multistage compressor 16 can be used.

  In step 78, a failure of the multi-stage compressor 16 may be identified based at least in part on the detected interstage parameter. The identified faults can include several different types of problems within the multistage compressor 16. For example, the failure can include one actual failure (eg, breakage or other physical and / or structural failure) of a component within the multi-stage compressor 16. However, faults can also include other types of damage (eg, blade imbalance and erosion, unacceptable friction due to gap changes, etc.). As described above, fault identification is based on predicted values (eg, generated by a predictive model), past values (eg, previous operational data of the same multi-stage compressor 16 or another comparable multi-stage compressor 16). Or a comparison of detected interstage parameters to a combination thereof.

  In step 80, if a failure is identified, a warning indicating the failure can be output as appropriate. For example, the alert can include an audio alert (eg, a beep), vibration, light (eg, from a light emitting diode), a display message (eg, on a display screen), an email message, a text message, and the like. Further, in step 82, if a failure is identified, the operating parameters of the multi-stage compressor 16 can be adjusted accordingly in response to the failure. In certain situations, adjustment of the operating parameters of the multi-stage compressor 16 can be performed automatically in response to a failure. However, in other situations, adjustment of the operating parameters of the multistage compressor 16 can be performed manually by the operator of the multistage compressor 16.

  The adjustment of the operating parameters of the multistage compressor 16 varies from a minimum adjustment (eg, reducing the operating speed or load of the multistage compressor 16) to a larger adjustment (eg, shutting down the multistage compressor 16). It can also be. The amount of adjustment performed can depend, for example, on the degree of deviation from the predicted value of the interstage parameter. For example, when the detected deviation from the predicted value of the interstage parameter is higher than the first low threshold and lower than the second high threshold, the operating speed or load of the multistage compressor 16 can be reduced. However, if the detected deviation from the predicted value of the interstage parameter is higher than both the first low threshold and the second high threshold, the multistage compressor 16 can be completely stopped.

  Further, in certain embodiments, a time delay may be provided between fault identification and warning output or adjustment of operating parameters of the multi-stage compressor 16. For example, in one embodiment, a time delay of 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes may be used to confirm that the detected interstage parameter deviation that identified the failure is not simply a statistical anomaly. it can. In other embodiments, no time delay may be used. Not using a time delay is advantageous to allow a proper response in substantially real time. In addition to the time delay, in some embodiments, multiple warnings can be output before adjusting the operating parameters of the multi-stage compressor 16. By outputting multiple warnings, further analysis can be performed before the operating parameters of the multi-stage compressor 16 are adjusted automatically or manually.

  The technical effect of the disclosed embodiments is to identify faults in the multistage compressor 16 using the pressure increase ratio, which can be determined from the interstage parameters detected between the stages of the multistage compressor 16. Providing a system and method for doing so. In some embodiments, to identify a failure in the multi-stage compressor 16 based at least in part on the sensed interstage parameter, to output a warning indicating the failure, and in response to the failure, the multi-stage compressor 16 To adjust the operating parameters, the method 74 shown in FIG. 6 can be performed by the controller 14 that is configured to obtain (eg, receive) the detected interstage parameters. The controller 14, in one embodiment, identifies a failure in the multi-stage compressor 16 based at least in part on the sensed interstage parameter, outputs a warning indicating the failure, and in response to the failure. In order to adjust the operating parameters of the multistage compressor 16, it may be a physical computing device that is specifically configured to obtain (eg, receive) the sensed interstage parameters. More particularly, the controller 14 is an input / output for receiving sensed interstage parameters, for outputting warnings, and for transmitting signals to adjust the operating parameters of the multistage compressor 16. (I / O) devices may be included. In addition, the controller 14 can include a machine readable medium that includes encoded instructions for identifying a failure based at least in part on the storage device and the sensed interstage parameter. For example, the instructions can include a machine readable code to compare the sensed interstage parameter with a predicted value, a past value, or a combination thereof. Therefore, the control device 14 can also include a recording medium for recording past values.

  The embodiments disclosed herein allow the individual stage appliances of the multistage compressor 16 and the controller 14 to issue warnings at or near the occurrence of problems before the multistage compressor 16 is excessively damaged. And / or an associated control method for detecting abnormal behavior of the multi-stage compressor 16 so that the operating parameters of the multi-stage compressor 16 can be adjusted. The disclosed embodiments take advantage of the fact that the performance of a stage degrades if the stage of the multistage compressor 16 is damaged. The performance degradation can manifest as a change in compressibility from a damaged stage to another undamaged stage. This change can be detected in the pressure distribution in the multistage compressor 16. By using the pressure increase ratio for fault detection, a more improved assessment of the degradation of the multistage compressor 16 can be made, thereby reducing the costs and costs associated with unwanted damage to the multistage compressor 16. Time is reduced. The systems and methods disclosed herein can be applied to new gas turbine engines 12 or can be improved as enhancements to existing gas turbine engine 12 instruments and control systems.

  This specification is intended to disclose the present invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use any device or system and to perform any incorporated methods. An example is used to enable the present invention to be implemented. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples have the same literal components recited in the claims, or include equivalent components that are only slightly different from the literal elements recited in the claims, It is intended to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (10)

An interstage sensor (66) configured to sense parameters at interstage positions (46,54) between a plurality of stages of the rotor blades (38,40) of the rotating machine (16,20);
And a controller (14) configured to identify a failure of the rotating machine (16, 20) based at least in part on the sensed interstage parameter. The interstage sensor (66) includes a pressure sensor, and the controller (14) is configured to identify an abnormal change in pressure associated with one or more stages of the rotating machine (16, 20). The system described. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller (14) is configured to compare the parameter against a predicted value, a past value or a combination thereof. 4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to compare the baseline ratio of the parameters with respect to the real-time ratio at the interstage positions (46, 54) versus different measurement positions. The system according to claim 1. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the parameters include pressure, temperature, vibration, sound or combinations thereof, and the different measurement positions include an inlet position (44, 52), an outlet position (48, 56) or different interstage measurement positions. . The rotating machine (16, 20) comprising a compressor (16), a turbine (20), or a combination thereof, the rotating machine (16, 20) having a plurality of blades (38, 40). The system according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller (14) is configured to output a warning indicating a failure. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller (14) is configured to adjust operating parameters of the rotating machine (16, 20) in response to a failure. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller (14) is configured to automatically stop the rotating machine (16, 20) in response to a failure. The turbine engine (12) having a plurality of interstage sensors (66) disposed at interstage positions (46) between the plurality of stages of rotor blades (40) of the compressor (16). The system according to claim 9.